FxPro Help Centre - Glossary

North American Session

The North American Session, also referred to as the New York Session, is one of the three major trading sessions in the global Forex market, alongside the Asian and European sessions. It typically begins with the opening of financial markets in New York and is known for its high trading volume, strong market movements, and the release of important economic data.

Trading Hours (GMT):

  • 13:00 to 22:00 (winter)
  • 12:00 to 21:00 (summer, due to daylight saving time)

Key characteristics of the North American Session:

  • High liquidity and volatility, especially during the overlap with the European Session (approximately 12:00 to 16:00 GMT), which is the most active period of the trading day;
  • A significant number of economic releases from the U.S. and Canada, such as Non-Farm Payrolls, interest rate decisions, CPI, and GDP figures, which can cause major market reactions;
  • Heavily traded currency pairs include EUR/USD, USD/JPY, GBP/USD, USD/CAD, and others involving the U.S. or Canadian dollar;
  • After the European markets close, activity may taper off, though U.S. equity and commodities markets can still impact currency movements.

The North American Session often sets the tone for the final moves of the trading day and can confirm or reverse trends established during earlier sessions. It’s an important window for both day traders and longer-term investors, especially those reacting to U.S. economic news and central bank commentary.

FxPro clients can take advantage of the North American session using advanced tools and features on platforms such as MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and cTrader, supported by real-time news and an economic calendar.